


Through the Eyes of a Child

by EmynIthilien



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-07
Updated: 2012-06-07
Packaged: 2017-11-07 03:25:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/426414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmynIthilien/pseuds/EmynIthilien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jon asks Devan Seaworth how his father became Hand of the King.  Written for the following prompt on the got_exchange comment fic meme (http://gotexchange-mod.livejournal.com/1067.html): Stannis and Davos' relationship seen from a POV other than Davos or Melisandre.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through the Eyes of a Child

**Author's Note:**

> The opening dialogue between Jon and Stannis is taken directly from A Dance with Dragons.

The king was unmoved. “I have knights and lords in my service, scions of noble Houses old in honor. They cannot be expected to serve under poachers, peasants, and murderers.”

_Or bastards, Sire?_ “Your own Hand is a smuggler.”

“ _Was_ a smuggler. I shortened his fingers for that.”

It was only later that evening, when Ghost curled up on his bed before falling asleep, that Jon realized that the King had sounded the most offended when he had called the King’s Hand a smuggler. And in fact, it sounded like Stannis was very protective of his Hand because of that, even a bit possessive. _I must meet this Lord Seaworth one day, then I might understand this new king better._

~

A few days later, Jon sought out the King’s squire. The boy was wistfully watching knights with bright colored cloaks and Black Brothers alike practicing swordplay in the castle yard from an outside staircase. Ghost padded silently on his heels. He sat down beside the boy.

“Devan Seaworth.”

“Y-y-yes, my Lord?” stammered the boy, all the while staring at Ghost with abject fear. His cloak was clasped with a black charm shaped like a ship. A flaming heart was embroidered on his outer tunic.

Jon reflected that the wolf should have stayed in his quarters. But Ghost wasn’t doing anything though, simply standing by his master’s side. _Devan must learn not to be afraid of wolves, not if he wants to kill the boy and let the man be born someday soon._

“I hear your father is Hand of the King.”

“Yes, he is. I mean, yes he is, my Lord.”

“My father was the Hand of a King once, so we have something in common.” _Hopefully we won’t soon have dead fathers in common._

“Your father?”

“Lord Eddard Stark, of Winterfell.”

“Stark? But your name is…”

“Snow. Yes, that is the bastard name of the North, but no matter.” Jon waved the comment aside. _Robb will sooner be King in the North again before people will stop seeing me as a bastard. If only I could do without a surname all together._

“How did your lord father become Hand of the King, Devan? Is he much like the King?”

“Oh no! My father is kind and nice and patient and proud of me learning to read like a highborn lord and is teaching me how to steer a big warship! He told lots of stories to me before I went to bed when I was younger, and the King _never_ does that with Shireen! He’s the best father in the world, when he doesn’t have to spend time on errands for King Stannis!” Devan’s face was glowing.

Jon laughed. He hoped he would have said such things about _his_ father when he was Devan’s age. _Gods, that seems like a lifetime ago._

Devan suddenly looked stricken, and threw himself to his knees in front of him. “Please please forgive me my Lord for speaking ill of the King! I didn’t mean anything I said about him, and please don’t tell him I said anything!”

Jon laughed again, this time with a big smile on his face. “On my honor as a Man of the Night’s Watch, no one but Ghost will ever hear a word of what you said.”

Devan gave a sigh of relief. “As for your other question, my father survived the Battle of the Blackwater when most all the rest of the King’s fleet perished.” He looked sad. “And Dale and Allard and Matthos and Maric too. But the King must have seen how brave my father was, and he had always given him good advice, so that’s why he must have been made Hand. He was made a lord at the same time too, before that he was a knight.”

Jon was sure that there was more to the story than what Devan told, but for now that was enough. The boy’s words had told him more of worth about Lord Davos than any of the mutterings from the Queen’s Men had, and King Stannis didn’t strike him as the man who would want to talk of friends and past times. _Smugglers can become good men on the Wall, and this one must have done something extraordinary to earn Stannis’ trust over so many years._

But nevertheless, he couldn’t help but have a bit more respect for the King for appointing Lord Davos Seaworth as Hand.


End file.
